Clasp



'Feb. 11, 1941. c. D. KAUFMANN CLASP Filed May 15, 1940 m m @M a aFatented Feb. 11, 1941 I UNITED STATES assign PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.(01. 24-102) The invention is directed to clasps of the type adapted tobe used. for example, in jewelry of various kinds.

The invention includes a base member which may be equipped with Jewelsor ornamentations of various kinds when the invention is used forjewelry. Together with the base member there is a bar member mounted topivot thereon. Between the base member and the bar member, spring meansare provided to snap the respective members either into closed or openposition with reference to each other, the invention is directed to theconstruction which produces the snap closing and spring.

Expressed more specifically theinvention includes a pivot pin disposedbetween the base member and the bar member. The pivot pin is fixed toone member and the other member is adapted to rotate thereon. The othermember carries the leaf springs, of whichthere is a plurality in thepractice of the present invention; The pivot pin is provided with aflat-sided shank, in the preferred practice of the invention comprisinga squared shank with the center of the square coincidental with thecenter oi the pivot. One end of each leaf spring is fixed to itsincident member, and the springs are directed toward the pivot withtheir opposite ends resting each on a fiat surface of the shank. Theterminal edges of the respective springs are disposed on opposite sidesof the center of the pin.

With this construction, as the respective members are rotated relativeto each other, one spring engages a corner of the shank urging the twomembers to snap into closed position until the members are rotated todead center, which in the,

- case of a squared shank is forty-five degrees. That is the springwhich extends beyond the center of the pin. The spring which extendsshort of the center of the pin operates to resist rotation of the twomembers relative to each other and the resistance increasesprogressively until the open- 1 spring has attained a position in whichit urges the two members to continue to rotate and snap into openposition. With the sudden cooperation of the other spring the claspopens rapidly.

The invention is applicable to Jewelry of various kinds. It can be used,for example, in cuff links and when so employed it ailords a novelmanner of operation to be described more fully in detail hereinafter.The invention finds usefulness in various other types of jewelry,including lbiickles for braces. belts, etc., bar pins and the Theinvention finds application to a wide diversity of things. theaccompanying drawing being illustrative of someof its uses. In thedrawing, to which attention is now directed,

Figure 1 shows a perspective view or the invention, as applied to 9. endlink,

. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional elevation of the cufl link of Figure lin closed position,

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional elevation of the cufl link in partiallyopened condition,

figure 4 is a perspective view showing the invention as applied to abuckle,

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the invention as applied to a barpin, and

Figure 6 is a cross sectional elevation taken on a plane longitudinallyof the pivot pin.

Viewing the end link descrbed in Figures 1, 2

and 3, it comprises a base member ii and a bar member l2 rotatablerelative to each other on the pivot pin it, illustrated in Figure 6. Inthe practice of the invention shown the pivot pin it is fixed to thebase member i I and extends between the prong it. The bar member i2rotates on the pivot pin i 3.

The pivot pin is provided with a flat-sided abutmerit shank iii which,in the disclosed embodiment. is square with the center of the squarecoincidental with the center of the pin. The shank I5 is preferablyhoused within the bar i2, as shown. The bar is provided with the leafsprings it and I i, which are also preferably housed within the bar inthe manner shown. One end of each spring l8 and I1 is fixed to the barl2, the manner of attachment being unimportant. In the embodiment shownthe attaching means comprises a pin l8 riveted to the bar i2, thesprings l6 and II being attached to the pin I 8 by welding or othersuitable means. As clearly seen in Figures 2 and 3 the springs I6 and I!are directed longitudinally of the bar away from the pin I8 and towardthe pivot pin I3. The opposite terminal edges l9 and 20 of therespective springs l6 and I! rest normally on a flat surface of theshank l5, as shown, when the link is in a closed position as shown inFigure 2. The respective terminal edges Iii and 20 are disposed onopposite sides of the center line ii of the pivot pin l3.

When the bar 12 is rotated relative to the base member l3 to open thecuff link, the spring I! rests on the surface 2| of the shank l5, whichacts as a cam to urge the bar to snap into the closed position shown inFigure 2. This continues until the bar attains dead center, or has beenrotated through 45. After the bar has been rotated through 45 the camaction of the shank I5 on the spring I! tends to snap the link in openposition.

Meantime the spring I6 tends to hold the link in closed position ofFigure 2 and continues to do so until after the bar has been rotatedbeyond 45. During the rotation of the bar I2 into open position theterminal edge I9 of the spring I6 is in thrust engagement with thesurface 22, and the cam action of the shank I5 on the spring I6 tends torotate the bar I2 in the counterclockwise direction in Figure 3. Thespring I6 continues to urge the bar in closed position while theterminal edge l9 climbs toward the remote edge of the surface 22. Theresistance to rotation by the spring I6 increases in magnitude until theterminal edge I9 passes the remote edge of the surface 22 and this takesplace after the bar I2 has been rotated beyond 45 and is approaching thefull 90 open position. This affords a delayed snap in the opening of thelink.

The bar member I2 and the base member II are disposed away from thepivot I3 to meet at their respective opposite ends 23 and 2a. The basemember I I, in the embodiment shown, comprises the legs 25 and 26disposed at an angle with reference to each other. The leg 25 beingdirected to terminate at the pivot pin I3 and the leg 26 being directedto terminate at the end 23 of the bar I2. The bar I2 and the leg 26 meetat an angle less than 90 when the bar I2 rests abutted against thesurface 21 of the base member in closed position.

This construction aifords a particular application of the invention tocuff links.

Before washing the hands it is desirable to loosen the cuffs and pushback the sleeves. Frequently when the hands are quite dirty the cuffsbecome soiled while the cuff links are being unfastened. Also, in anattempt to prevent soiling the cuff, the link is loosened and leftdangling from one buttonhole. There is a great possibility that the linkwill fall out and be lost.

A cufi link embodying the principles of the present invention may beremoved from one buttonhole of the cuif in a manner to facilitate thelink to catch the otherbuttonhole and be securely fastened thereto whenthe link snaps shut. Thus cuffs can be opened very readily with lessdanger of the links being lost.

This feature is illustratedin Figures 2 and 3 in which the cuffcomprises the meeting edges 28 and 29, with the respective buttonholes30 and 3| spaced away from the edges. The bar passes through thebuttonholes 30 and 3'! whenthe link is in closedpositionr When it isdesired to open the cuff without removing the link from the garment thelink can be grasped at the bar 26 and pulled away from the buttonhole 3Iin the manner illustrated in Figure 3. This will cause the buttonhole toactuate the bar I2 to rotate it relative to the base member I I and itslides out of the buttonhole 3|. As soon as the end 23 of the bar I2slips completely out of the buttonhole 3| the bar I2 snaps toward thesurface 21 to close the link, fasteningthe link in the buttonhole 30.This prevents the link from accidentally falling out of the buttonholeand becoming lost.

When it is desired to open the cuff while the hands are very dirty,pressure of the finger against the end 24 of the base member will causethe link to open sufllclently to slip out of one side of the cufi. Assoon as the bar leaves one buttonhole the link will automaticallysnap toclosed position.

In Figure 4 the invention is shown as applied to a buckle, for example,for a belt 35. The buckle comprises the base member 36 and the barmember 31 pivoted at 38 and operative in the same' manner as the cufflink. The rings 39. and 40 are attached to the cleats 4| and 42respectively which project from the base member 36. It will thus be seenthat the load is carried by the cleats ll and 42 and is not carried bythe bar member 31. The base member 36 provides the face of the buckle.

In Figure 5 the invention is disclosed as applied to a bar pin in whichthe bar 45 functions to house the spring and is pivoted on the pivot pin65 which is fixed to the stick pin 46. The rest 41, attached to the bar44, engages the pin 46 when in closed position.

The invention having been described in detail in a plurality ofembodiments, it is now pointed out that it is not limited to thestructures shown but ally thereon, a fiat-sided abutment piece fixed to.

one member, a plurality of leaf sp'rings fixed to the other member oneend of each leaf spring being attached, the leaf springs being directedaway from the point of attachment toward the abutment piece and one endof each spring being.

respectively disposed on opposite sides of the center of the abutmentmember.

2. A clasp for jewelry or the like comprising a base member, a barmember, and a pivot pin therebetween, the pivot pin providing aflat-sided shank, a plurality of leaf springs coacting with the shank,the pivot being attached to one member with the other member rotatingthereon, one end of each leaf spring being attached to the other memberand directed toward the pivot with the opposite end resting on theflat-sided shank, the terminal edges of respective springs beingdisposed on opposite sides of the center of the pivot.

3. A clasp for cuff links comprising a base member, a bar member, and apivot pin therebetween, the base member and bar member being directedaway from the pivot pin disposed with their respective opposite endsmaking an angle less than a right angle, the pivot pin. providing aflat-sided shank, a plurality of leaf springs coacting with the shank,the pivot being attached to one member with the other member rotatingthereon, one

end of each leaf spring being attached to the said cam perpendicular tosaid springs.

CECIL D. KAUFMANN.

that the accompanying claims determine the scope I I

